As Rangers part company with Michael Beale the club must be ruing their decision not to move for high-flying OGC Nice manager Francesco Farioli.
The Gers were known to be impressed by the 34-year-old manager who was in charge of Turkish side Alanyaspor at the time of Rangers’ last managerial hunt.
But with Michael Beale more familiar with the surroundings at Ibrox, and with the squad he would later rip to pieces, Rangers opted instead to bring the Englishman from QPR.
After less than a year in charge, Rangers are now back to square one with Beale relieved of his duties whilst bright young Italian coach Francesco Farioli is building his burgeoning reputation in Ligue 1 with Nice.
Currently 4th in the French top flight table, it’s been an impressive start to life at the club with the young manager unbeaten after seven matches with four draws and three victories.
It has OGC Nice with one eye on the Champions League and – with Francesco Farioli signposted as a future star by Rangers only a year ago – rubbing their hands in glee at securing one of Europe’s top young bosses.
Rangers’ Francesco Farioli regret
Rangers might’ve viewed the appointment of Francesco Farioli last November as a major risk but given the understanding of the fans this was a genuine opportunity to experiment or be a little ambitious with the managerial role.
There are a host of understated coaches doing the rounds in Europe with the likes of Farioli extensively linked alongside Kjetil Knutsen at Bodo Glimt.
But with Rangers’ season teetering on the brink, the room for experimentation is gone and before the end of October’s international break the Ibrox side will look to have a long-term solution.
As Steven Davis and Alex Rae take the helm, Rangers are now casting their net far and wide with Michael Beale’s position untenable after the 3-1 home defeat to Aberdeen.
But how the Rangers board must be regretting hesitating on Francesco Farioli who appears to be at the beginning of something special with OGC Nice.
